Chapter 501: Night Surprise Attack

Unlike Ning Zhuo's face was as calm as water.

Although he and Mu Lan had become husband and wife, it was merely a political marriage and did not involve anything practical.

All along, it had been hidden from the public, known only to a few people at the time.

This was a tacit understanding of the righteous path.

Unlike Ning Zhuo was not surprised that Shuang Ling knew about this situation. After all, the former came from the royal family, so it was normal for her to know the inside story.

But at this very moment, in front of everyone, she had actually blurted out this secret.

Shuang Ling had broken this tacit understanding of the righteous path; it was undoubtedly a very serious provocation.

Unlike Ning Zhuo stared at Shuang Ling.

Shuang Ling sneered: "Little kid, is this the upbringing of your Ning family? I am a princess of the Liangzhu Kingdom, a Nascent Soul cultivator, and your elder; you are being too rude."

Unlike Ning Zhuo smiled slightly: "I am a person of the Nandou Kingdom. This time, I am responding to the call of your kingdom's monarch to uphold the righteous path and resist the evil demonic cultivators of the Thousand Peaks Forest."

"I have always felt that the monarch of the Liangzhu Kingdom is respectful to the virtuous and a model for other monarchs. But today, from the Princess, I have received a different impression."

"You, as a noble princess, are actually pressing a junior like me so aggressively; what is the logic in that?"

"Is this the attitude of the Liangzhu Kingdom toward the itinerant cultivators participating in the war?"

Shuang Ling's expression changed slightly.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had slapped a big label on her right from the start, making her noble status a weakness instead.

The City Lord of Canglin Xiancheng saw that the situation was not good and hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.

Shuang Ling chuckled and pointed at Unlike Ning Zhuo: "The little guy has a sharp tongue; it's quite interesting. The battlefield is dangerous; I hope I can still see you after this great war."

Shuang Ling lacked eloquence and, having been hit by Unlike Ning Zhuo's soft blade, followed the step down offered by the City Lord of Canglin Xiancheng, slowly sat down, and stopped entangling with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

But although she had no further verbal clashes, she repeatedly targeted Unlike Ning Zhuo in the subsequent auction.

Whenever Unlike Ning Zhuo took a fancy to a mechanism creation, she would buy it at a high price, using her power to suppress others; the hostility was quite obvious.

So much so that by the end of the auction, Unlike Ning Zhuo had gained very little.

"I am a bit angry." On the way back, Unlike Ning Zhuo said to Mu Lan.

Mu Lan pondered: "She is, after all, a long-established figure of the royal family. The 'Mechanism Princess' is a famous name throughout the country and a major signboard among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the royal family."

"There is no need to clash with her; we have suffered too much of a loss."

Mu Lan was not willing to back Unlike Ning Zhuo up.

Although Shuang Ling had pointed out her marital relationship with Unlike Ning Zhuo and broken the righteous path's tacit understanding, Mu Lan did not care much.

On one hand, she had been educated by General Sun Lao since she was a child and was loyal to the Liangzhu Kingdom. On the other hand, she did not care about her reputation in this regard. Deep down, she wanted their marital relationship to be exposed, to solidify her relationship with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

If the marriage contract between Unlike Ning Zhuo and the Nandou Kingdom's royal family were destroyed, binding him to the Mu General's Mansion, Mu Lan would be very happy.

The longer she spent with Unlike Ning Zhuo, the more interested Mu Lan became in him.

"Uncle Zhang is much older than me and has a discerning eye for people; he knew long ago that Unlike Ning Zhuo was my ideal husband."

Unlike Ning Zhuo was young and wealthy, his Five Elements realm was extraordinary, and he mastered numerous mechanisms. Although he only had Foundation Establishment cultivation, he possessed powerful Jin Dan-level combat strength.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's strategy, his ability to handle people and things, and the fact that he served as a military advisor in the Three Generals Camp and could always quickly fulfill his duties—Mu Lan saw all of this in her eyes.

"Those three rough guys in the Three Generals Camp need Unlike Ning Zhuo to keep accounts and calculate. Doesn't my Red Flower Camp need that too?"

Mu Lan was calculating Unlike Ning Zhuo.

After Unlike Ning Zhuo probed a bit, he immediately understood Mu Lan's intentions and stopped speaking.

The two remained silent along the way. After leaving the city gate, Unlike Ning Zhuo immediately parted ways and went back to the Three Generals Camp to sleep.

In the following days, he mainly trained troops, and secondarily cultivated.

In his spare time, Unlike Ning Zhuo went back to the Xiancheng to purchase mechanism pedestals, only to find that they had all been bought up by the Mechanism Princess.

"Son-in-law! The son-in-law of the General's Mansion, truly congratulations to you, sir!"

"Lord Ning, please take the seat of honor."

"Lord Ning, my master has prepared a small banquet at the restaurant; I hope you will grace us with your presence."

With the exposure of the marital relationship between Unlike Ning Zhuo and Mu Lan, every move Unlike Ning Zhuo made in the Xiancheng received huge attention.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had to disguise his identity to attempt procurement.

The result was still that he could not buy any mechanism pedestals.

These pedestals had all been bought up by Shuang Ling, who used her status to pressure all the shops. "This is going too far. Xiao Zhuo, perhaps it's time for us, the 'Old Monster Shi Zhong', to take action!" Sun Lingtong felt very indignant for Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo, however, shook his head and calmly pondered: "The Mechanism Princess Shuang Ling is also good at group manipulation. She came to Canglin Xiancheng in a great hurry; even Zhu Xuan didn't know about it."

"Now that she has arrived at the Xiancheng, she is wantonly purchasing various materials and buying up all the mechanism pedestals; it is clear she is actively preparing for war."

"Suppressing us is just something she is doing along the way."

"Since she is a princess of the Liangzhu Kingdom, she must know more intelligence. Perhaps the day we set off for the front line again is not far off."

Unlike Ning Zhuo's analysis was not wrong.

The day the rear army set off was much earlier than he had anticipated.

Just three days later, military orders were issued. That very night, the rear army set off again.

During the march, every military camp formed formations without exception, being extremely cautious. At the slightest sign of trouble, they would immediately stop to prepare for battle; it was evident that the previous ambush had truly left a huge psychological shadow on many people.

This time, the march was calm and peaceful.

The Golden Halberd Army, Red Flower Camp, Savage Demon Camp, White Jade Camp, Three Generals Camp, and Fire Cloud Camp all successfully arrived at the station of the central army—Mulun Town.

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The commander-in-chief of the Liangzhu Kingdom's three armies, Du Tiechuan, summoned the various generals in batches.

When it was the Three Generals Camp's turn, Du Tiechuan personally ordered the military advisor Unlike Ning Zhuo to come and see him as well.

Thus, Unlike Ning Zhuo, along with Liu Er, Liu Guan, and Zhang Hei, came into close contact with Du Tiechuan, this great cultivator at the Soul Transformation level.

Du Tiechuan was relatively thin, with distinct facial features, eyebrows like knives, and a deep, calm gaze. His skin was slightly pale. He wore a silver silk hair crown and a grey-green long robe, covered by silver armor, fully displaying a rigid and tough spirit.

After Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Ning reported for duty, Du Tiechuan gave an "hmm," and his gaze fell on Unlike Ning Zhuo.

He opened his mouth and said: "Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo, please take a seat."

Liu, Guan, and Zhang had respectful expressions; only Liu Er raised his eyebrows slightly.

Unlike Ning Zhuo thanked him and sat on the edge of the chair with half his buttocks, hands placed on his thighs, sitting upright.

The status of a military advisor and the status of the Ning family were not enough to make a great Soul Transformation cultivator and commander-in-chief of three armies treat him with such courtesy.

The status of being Mu Lan's husband and the son-in-law of the Mu General's Mansion was the key!

Du Tiechuan encouraged the four of them and then dismissed them.

On the way back, Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Ning used spiritual sense transmission to discuss their views on Du Tiechuan.

Liu Er was absent-minded.

He could not help but think that Unlike Ning Zhuo was treated with such courtesy just because he had become Mu Lan's husband. But according to the royal decree, he should have been Mu Lan's true husband!

Thinking of this, Liu Er felt very bitter inside, and in the gaze he occasionally cast toward Unlike Ning Zhuo, a few strands of cold light were born.

Let's say Unlike Ning Zhuo returned to his own camp tent and began his daily cultivation, circulating the cultivation base of his three Lower Dantians to nourish precious elixirs.

In the middle of the night, suddenly the alarm bell rang, resounding throughout Mulun Town.

"Enemy attack!"

"This bell sound means an enemy is attacking!"

"And it's a powerful enemy!!"

Each army immediately reacted; from this moment, one could see which army was the best trained.

Without a doubt, the Red Flower Camp took the lead, but the gap with the second-place Golden Halberd Army was not large.

Unlike Ning Zhuo immediately interrupted his cultivation, ran out of the camp tent, and joined the three generals Liu, Guan, and Zhang.

They had acted earlier than Unlike Ning Zhuo, each riding a warhorse, and were already mobilizing the army.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's mechanism army was far more convenient than living people and could be carried with him.

But at this moment, Unlike Ning Zhuo still first integrated into the three generals' army to judge the true enemy situation before making other decisions.

As a result, after waiting for a moment, the scouts returned to report that there were no signs of any enemy troops around.

"Could it be a false alarm?"

Just as he thought this, military orders were passed down.

The content of the military order was too explosive; to avoid shaking the morale of the army, only the generals and important high-level officials were informed.

"What? Commander Du Tiechuan was ambushed and is now seriously injured?!"

"Who exactly did it?"

"Young Master Sheng Xu?!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 502 =====